johnson



(No Model.)

' W. H. JOHNSON.

HAMBFASTENER.

Patented Jan; 8, 1895.

' larly shaped lever acting linking portion at-' NITED STATES .PATENTOFFICE.

WILLIAM H. JOHNSON, OF DELHI, NEW YORK, ASS IGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH TOORLANDO T. MORGAN, OF SAME PLACE.

HAME-FASTEN-ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 532,422, dated January8,1895. Application filed March 14. 1894:- Serial No. 503,587. (Nomodel) To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. JOHNSON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Delhi, in the county of Delaware and State of NewYork, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements inflame-Fasteners; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same. i

This invention relates to hame fasteners and consists in a scroll shapedor other simitached to one hame and having a long slot, a retainingshoulder, and an entrance passage, in combination with a hooking portionattached to the other hame; said hooking portion connecting with thelever acting linking portion by means of an intermediate book 'whichengages adjusting apertures in. said hooking portion, and means forpreventing the parts separating by a sidewise movement. Thiscombinationserves as a means whereby to readily connect the hames to acollar and disconnect them from the same and also securely hold themupon the collar when in use.

It also consists in a scroll shaped or other similarly shaped leveracting linking portion attached to one hame and having a longslot, aretaining shoulder, and entrance passage and a pivoted securing catch orstop, in combination with a hooking portion connected with the leveracting linking portion by means of an intermediate hook whichengagesattached to said lever portion and adapted to engage any one of'the eyes on the locking portion, and means for preventing the parts fromseperating by a sidewise movement.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1. is a front elevation of thedevices embodying my invention showing the fastener unlocked.

Fig. 2. represents the same-in a locked position. Fig. 3. represents adetail side elevation showing the respective ends of the ring or hook,the hooking portion and the securing catch or stop before the same islocked. Fig. 4. represents the same but in a locked position. Fig. 5.represents a vertical section through the side fastening catch or stopwhen in an unlocked position; and Fig. 6. represents the same with thesecuring catch or stop turned down into locking position.

A in the drawings represents the scroll lever portion attached to onehame A', and. B the hooking portion connected to the other hame B. Theportion Ais preferably formed with a scroll shaped loop a, a stationaryloop shoulder 19, and two long branches 0, d, of

different lengths, the branch (1 being provided with an arm f extendingtherefrom to within a short distance of the end of the branch 0 and thusforming an entrance g. Thus constructed the portion A has a long scrollslot it between its loop a and branches d, c, and arm f, access to whichfor'the ring or hook m is afforded through the passage g. When the hameloop m is introduced into this slot it passes from the entrance g to theloop a and the strain of the hamethus comes f having an operatinghandlef" which strikes against a stop f on said portion A and thuslimits the movements of the catch in that direction. An extensionf isformed upon the portion A for the portion B to rest upon when locked tosaid portion A by the aforesaid catch or stop.

The portion 13 is preferably somewhatsiinilar to portion A but thebranch 0, arm f, securing catch or stop, &c., are omitted and in theirstead and occupying the positions of the arm f and the branch 0, is abridging bar It forming a continuation of the branch and provided withapertures or eyes 70 into which the hame ring or hook is adapted to bepassed when the hames are to be secured together. By means of these eyes70' the hames can be adjusted to any size collar by simply moving thehook m from one eye to another as the circumstances require. Byproviding an elongated passage between the perforated bar 7c and thebranch d, the catch is adapted to be passed through the passage andsecured on the branch at any point required, according to what adjustinghole the connecting hook is in.

It will be observed that there are no cold shuts necessary to attach myfastener to the harnes but just as soon as they are hooked in positionthey are ready to be locked.

The operation of attaching the fastener is as follows: The parts arefirst placed in the position shown in Fig. 1. Then the hook on is placedin one of the eyes It and the lever portion A drawn around into theposition shown in Fig. 2. which will pull the parts A and B firmlytogether and thus lock the hames securely on the collar. The lower loopof the portion B is then slipped in between the extension and thepivoted hook f said hook being first raised into a horizontal position.The hook is then turnedinto a vertical position as shown in Fig. 4. andthis will look the portion A to the portion B and keep the former fromdropping from the latter and thus allowingthe hames to become loose andperhaps unfastened altogether.

It can readily be seen that my device is adapted for use with differentsized hames or harness, either new or old and it being of light metalcan be bent or straightened to fit the hames, and having no cold shutsthere is no liability of breakage, and very little labor or hand work isrequired as the fastening is practically finished when cast in the sand.The cost of manufacture is lessened, the fastener can be operated veryquickly and easil y 5 is strong, light and durable and neat inappearance and has no ends swinging about and is compact and close tothe collar and withal it enables the hames to be drawn very snugly andwhen unlatched the lever portion and its connections remain attached tothe hames.

\Vhat I claim as my invention is- 1. A hame fastener comprising a leverportion which is adapted to be attached to one hame and formed with anoblong slot and terminating in a curved loop which forms a retainingshoulder for the connecting hook, a hooking portion adapted to beattached to the other hame and provided with adjusting eyes and a hookattached to said lever portion and adapted to engage any one of the eyeson the hooking portion, and a side stop for preventing a separation ofthe parts by a sidewise movement, substantially as described.

2. A hame fastener comprising a scroll shaped lever portion which isadapted to be attached to one hame, and is formed with an elongatedslot, and terminated in a curved loop having a retaining shoulder forthe connecting hook, a hooking portion adapted to be attached to theother hame, and provided with adjustingholes,a hook attached to saidlever portion and adapted to engage any one of the eyes on said hookingportion, and a pivoted catch for securing the hooking and lever portionstogether and preventing a sidewise movement of the said portions,substantially as described.

3. A hame fastener comprising a scroll shaped lever portion adapted tobe attached to one hame, and provided with an elongated slot, andterininatedin a curved loop having a retaining shoulder, a hookingportion adapted to be attached to the other hame, and provided with abridging bar having adjusting holes; and formed with an elongatedpassage beneath said bar, a connecting hook attached to said leverportion and adapted to engage any one of the eyes on the hookingportion, and means for preventing the parts separating by a sidewisemovement, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

WM. 11. JOHNSON.

Witnesses:

W. G. EDGERTON, G. .A. STURGES, Jr.

